Construction-car



(No Model.)

L. K. 1mm-:TiraV GONSTRVUGTION GAR'. No. 279,950. PatentedJune 26,1883.-

///// /f/f/ f i UNITED STATES j PATET FFICE.

LUTHER K. JEWETT, oF FITCHBURG, IMassAcHUsrnrrs.

CONSTRUCTION-CAR.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 279,950, dated June 26, 1883. I Application filed March 9,1883. (No model.) f v To all whom tun/ay concern.'

Beit known that I, LUTHER K. JEWETT, of Fitchburg, county ot'Vorcestcr, State of Massachusetts, have invented an Improvement in (.fonstruction-Cars, of which the following description, in connection with the accompanying drawings, is a specification, like letters on the drawings representing like parts.

My invention relates to construction of wrecking or derrick cars, such as are einployed on railways for handling heavy obj ects, either in the construction of the railway or for 'handling the fragments of a wrecked train, or for other purposes; and has for its object to enable the car-body to be firmly iixcd upon the road-bed and track, so as to afford a suitable support for and secure a vertical position i'or the mast ot' the dcrrick or/crane. Then a derrick or crane is employed, it is desirable that the central mast should stand vertically and be held ri gi dJ y, or otherwise, when aheavy weight is brought upon one side of the crane or derri ck, the latter is tilted toward the sai d weight, so that great force is required to swing the weight thus raised and suspended upon the derrick around -`to the point where it is desired to deposit it.

My invention consists, essentially, in pro# viding the sill or main frame-.work ofthe car` body with a series of grapples, to be securely clamped upon the rails of the track, the said grapples being shown as fastened to the carbody vertically above the said rails. The Shanks ofthe said grapples are made adjustable in length by right and left threaded screws, and a nut or turn-buckle movement, which enables either side of the car-body to be drawn down toward the rail, andthe car-platform to thus be adjusted to an exactly horizontal position, or to any slight inclination from such horizontal position as may be desirable. The car-body is also provided with a series of j ackscrews, adapted to be interposed between the said car-body and abcd block or beam mounted on the sleepers outside of the rails, they forming a support for the car-body, While the grapples tend to draw th'e latter down toward the rails. The car-body is preferably provided with a pair of grapples, one corresponding` to each rail at each end, and one or more pairs at suitable intermediate, points betwcenlits ends.

consisting ot' apair ofjaws, a, adapted to emf brace the head of the usual rails, E. The said jaws are loosely pivoted in aclevis or stirrup, -b, and are provided with clamping-rings c, which, when slipped up near to the clevis b, permit the jaws (l to be separated suiciently -to receive the head of the rail between them, and which, when slipped down, as shown in the dra-win securely lock the said jaws upon the rail. rllhe clevis b is connected with an eye, d, having a threaded shank, c, secured in one end ot' a turn-tmcklc or right-and-lei't threaded nut, f, the other en d of which screws upon an op positcl y-threaded shank, g, securely fastened to the sill or frame-work ot' the car vertically above the rails D. The two oppositely-threaded Shanks c g, with the turn-table j', constitute means for adjusting the eitective length et' the grapples between the rail and car, so that either side ofthe said car may be drawn down toward the rail, it then rocking upon its point of support on the trucks B.

`In order to properly Support the car-body upon the road-bed, it is provided with a series ot' jack-screws, E, properly located to rest upon bed blocks or beams 7:, resting on t-he sleepers F, outside of the rails D. rlhus by properly adjusting. the jack-screws E the carbody may be supported rigidly upon the roadl bed independently of the trucks B, while the grapples C co -operate with the said jackscrews and road-bed, preventing it from rising when subjected to a lateral strain, as when the der-rick or crane is lifting anV object at the side of the car, and enabling the car-body to be adjusted to secure a rigid and plumb position for the mast. The j ack-screws E are shown as pivoted upon the frame of the car, so that they may be turned up out of the way when the car is in motion on the track, the grapples at this time being disconnected from the car by unscrewing the turn-buckle from the shank g, or the jaws c beingturned up from the track on the eyes d as a pivot.

The car-body or platform herein described IOO will carry a turn-table, mast, and other devices7 all as shown and described in United States Patent No. 282,67 2, heretofore granted, to which reference may be had.

I clainil. In a construction or wrecking` car, the combination, with the ca1-body, of a series of grapples, adapted to be locked upon the rail, and fastened to the ear-body above the rails, and means to adjust the length of the said grapples, as and for the purpose described.

2. The combination, with the car-body, of the grapples attached thereto, consisting' of Y jaws to be locked upon the rail, a shank made in two oppositely-threaded portions, and a turn-buckle for adjusting the length of the said shank, substantially as described.

8. The ear-body combined with a series of jack-screws and aseries of longitudinally-adjustable grapples, adapted to be locked upon the rails, whereby the car-body may be sup- 2o ported in adjusted position upon the road-bed and track independently of the support ofthe trucks, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have signed niy naine to this specification inthe presence of two sub- 2 5 scribing` witnesses.

LUTHER K. .ILHVETT Vitnesse/s:` t

G. NV. REGoRY, FRED A. POWELL. 

